Humidifying apparatus



Jan. 17, 1928.

W. G. R. BRAEMER HUMIDIFYING APPARATUS Al a Filed Dec. 17, 1924 2Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 17, 1928.

- w. G. R. BRAEMER HUMIDIFYING APPARATUS.

Filed D80. 17. 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 effect of producing a drythereinwhereby the desired relative .xPatented Jan.;17, 192s.

WILLIAM (is R. BBAEMER, OF H AJJDONFIELD, nEw J nuumrrrme COMPANY, ACORPORAT sassy, AssIeNo'R T0 UNIVERSAL ION on NEW ansen numImrYmoArPAnArtrs.

Application m d December The object of my invention is to provide aneificient yet inexpensive means for dlrect humidification'of the air inisolated rooms or where it is needed; 'and-mor 6 my invention is adaptedas a portable device which may be shifted from room to room or place toplace, as the humidity changes 1n 1 the confined air may necessitate. fY Where steam or hot water radiators are employed as the means ofheating rooms,

- suchfas in oflice buildings, hotels and apartments, the air is'liabl'e'to become overheated,

and, as a consequence, take. on a condition of low relative humidity,with the resultmg of theeskm of the occupants of the room or apartment.I To overcome t condition, it has been customa of water upon the radiatomwhich is, both t tory. V x

By use of my improvement, a fine mist is quicklyand efi'ectually' formedand rojected into the air so as to be at once 0 sorbed humidry toqsettrays rs, a practice roublesome and unsatisfac ity may be speedilyobtained. q My invention consists'of a revolvmg disk driven by asmallelectric' motor (adapted to receiveits electric energy from a lampsocket similarly to an electric fan), said disk automatioally forming athin film of water which is thrown off from its perimeter b centrifugalforce, and which, strikingba v arranged about the disk, is metransformed into a fine mist, the water supply being-contained in areservoir preferab forming an air guiding wall about the disk and havingmeans which automatically causes "the water to be supplied to therevolving disk in such a manner that a definite .quantity jof Water canbe insur when revolving at a predetermined s eed and thus provide for apredetermmed vapor volume. Moreover,- the revolting disk is soconstructed that it performs the dual function of providing the waterfilm Y and creating a strong radial air current -which'carries the mistor vapor produced out into the room. t w

'My invention also comprises other details of construction which,together with the features above stated, are fully described hereinafterand pointed out in the claims.

Referringtq' thedrawings: Fig. 1 is a verw chanically e especially,

' 5 is a vertical section burning sensation his objectionable 'ng means4 y mit a. bubble 0 ed to the diskuasse.

17, 1924. Serial No r embodying my zontalsection of 1; Fig. 3 is antical section of a,humidifie invention; Fig. 2 is a hori the same online 22 of Fi edgeview of one form of aflfle adapted to mly invention;Fig. 4 shows In invention w en a plurality'of the humidifiers are op- 60erated from a common source of water; Fig, showing the adaptatosupplying humidbeing supplied to a tion of my. humidifiersity to a.current of air vdlstant room or' place;

Referring more particularly to the construction of the portablehumidifier-shown in Figs. 1, 2-and 3, the base 2 may be a suit ablecasting formed with legs or otherwise to support it at a distance abovethe table 7 or ground upon which itmay rest so as to permit air tofreely pass'below the apparatus. This base 2 supports a tank orreservoir 3 which is preferably formed as an annular compartment inwhich water may be 7 placed. through an inlet-8 which is normallysealed. The bottom of the tank is 'closedby a plate .4 at thecenter ofwhich averticah air aperture 10, is provided having a vertical circularall 9 and forming between said circular we 1 and the annular tank 3 anannu-- lar water holding working tank 4, the same being in communicationwith the interior of the annular tank 3 by an orifice 5. Under ordinaryconditions, the water in the supply tank/. will remain at a definitelevel governed by-the position of the up er air con trolling edge of theorifice 5. y f the water in the tank 4 becomes lowered, it will perf airto pass within the reseri-voir tank 3 and thus causing the displacementof a corresponding vportion of water from said reservoirtank'3'ii1to theworking tank 4: to maintain'its predetermined level. The working levelin this tank 4" may be adjusted by .ayertical adjustment of the gatevalve 6 which controls the upper level of the orifice 5. This gatevalve'6 may be adjusted in any" suitable manner and the adjusting screw7 is p1- Eimple. The feeding o annular reserv is accom ,modify thevacuum therein from time to time to permit the flow under the action ofovided by way of exgravity while restricting it by the extent of vaccuumwithin the annular reservoir above the water therein. As the level ofthe water in the working tank 4 descends sufficiently to allow a. bubbleof air to pass the opening 5 and rise into 'the reservoir, the entranceof such bubble will permit an equivalent quantity of water to flow fromthe reservoir through the water passage and thus maintain automaticallythe desired level of the water inthe' working reservoir. I do notbetween the said parts 9 and 19. The inner and lower portion of the conedisk 18 is normally in the water contained in the working tank 4, asclearly shown. This cone shaped disk is integrally formed with an upperdisk 21 of smaller diameterjandf connected withit by means of radialblades 22 forming between them-air passages 23, said air passages beingin communication at their inner ends with the tubular passage so thatthe air currents may pass upwardly through the'working tank 4 asindicated by the arrows, when thecone disk'andits connected partsarerevolved. Secured to the disk 21 is a hub portion 25 which is secured tothe motor "shaft 24 and by which it'is- .revolved at a high speed. Themotor 13 is shown as an electric motorv and is secured; to a transversesupporting frame l i-havlng a plurality of downwardly extending legportions 17 which rest upon the bottom 4 of the working tank 4, theweight being suswhich surrounds the motor 13 and protects it frommoisture and also acts as a: central filling piece to the inner space 11formed by the annular reservoir tank 3. The upper part of this casing 12may flare outwardly so; as to cause the moist air to spread on beingdelivered from the upper part of the humidifier. An electric circuit isprovided by the flexible conductor ehord 16 which may lead to a lampsocket 1n the ordinary manner adopted with electric fans, so that thehumidifier may be set anywhere in. the room which is found convenientand coupled to the electric lighting circuit for insuring the operationof the motor. 15 is a cover I plate overthe casing 12 for permittingaccess to the motor when desired. It; is manifest that this arrangementof parts provides an annular air'passa'ge into which the moist aircurrents are received at the lower part and caused to flow outwardly atthe top so as to 1 be in any form to'obtain an artistic design and it isevident that these may be shaped to form an a-rtisticurn, vase or otherobject.

When the cone sh aped disk 18 is driven at a high-speed, it draws airupwardly through the central tubular passage 10 and forces it'radiallyoutward through the passages 23 simultaneously with the production of afilm of water on its underconical surface, which film of water isthrownoif from the extreme perimeter of the disk and caused to impactupon the annular row of baflie means 26, so that said film of waterqisbroken up into. a fine mist and is'at once carried forward by the aircurrents and thus absorbed by said air currents and supplied to the airof the room, in which it is further dissipated and absorbed. The annularrow of baflie means 26 may be formed in any suitable manner and I do notrestrict myself in this respect. The particular .construction shownconsists of a ribbon of sheet metal, bent backward and forward uponitself," as

indicated in Fig. 3, and this, when bent into groove in the bottom of anannular supportmg frame 27 which is arranged slightly above the water inthe'tank 4 and .is secured "shaped disk 18 is formed by the centrifugaltained'by thebase frame 2. 12 is a casing action ofthe disk upon thewater, and the quantity? of water'lifted and thrown outward isproportional to the speed of rota tion of the disk as Well as to thelevel of! the water in the working tank 4. Assum mg that the speed iskept constant, as in the case of an electric fan, the vapor productionmay be increased by raising the valve gate '6 or decreased byloweringit, and thereby raising or lowering the level of the water in contactwith the disk. As shown in Fig. 1,

.the gate is adjusted fora maximum water film .with the motor revolvingat a given speed and this film may be decreased by the lowering of thegate 6. This provides means in the portable humidifier to insure/adesired quantity of moisture being delivered into It will. be understood.a circular form,-is supported in an annular be made. In these figures,the humidifiers That is to say,

supplyin have shown the valve 33 of the'humidifier matically performedby means which controls the flow of water'to the operating tank 4 orwhichcontrols the speed of the motor, and hence of the disk 18, as isindicated in Figs. '4 and 5, to which reference will now shown atA,B.and C areof the same general construction as shown in .Figs. 1 and2. they have the-revolving cone shaped disks and bafile means asrwell asthe working tank with the central aperture .for the air-to pass to therevolvingdisk, said air passing through the bottom of the humidifierthroughthe central passagetliereof as indicated by the arrows.

In Fi 4, I have indicated means for a plurality of the humidifiers withwate fronracomm'on source and have shown the watensupply t'o one of thehumidifiers as'controlledby a humidistat ararranged in the room orcompartmentv in which theihumidifier is located. In this coilstruction,3 is a rese'rvoirin which water is maintained at a constant level by afloat valve 28 and an o'verflow pipe 29-.. The water fromthis reservoirtank is supplied by pipes 30 and 31 to the respective humidifiers Av andB whic inthis case, would'simpl be provided with the working tank 4 'wich should be positioned to insure auniform level of water therein, sothat any lowering of the water level in either of the humidifiers willautomatically insure a further Water supply thereto. '32 and 33- arecontrolvalves by which therespective humidifiers may be shut off fromoperation, when desired. I

B as being an automatic valve of the usual type which may be closed byspring action and opened by apressure diaphra Iir. The pneumaticpressure which is emp oyed for closing the valve is suppliedvby the airump 34 through an air main 35' to abranch line 36 leading to the .valveand operating "through the cheke device 37 the same being provided witha bleed pipe 38 controlled by the humidi'stat 39 and operating iii suchmanner that Whenever the humidit in the mo becomes excessive, the valveleed 38 is s ut ofl so that the air pressure builds up in the branchpipe '36Jand causes the diaphragm valve 33 to be shut ofi andin thatmanner reduce the watersupply to the reand, therefore, no claim is madeto the-devolving cone disk and thereby reduce the amount of moisturewhich passes into the atmosphere. Humidistats or hygrostats with theconnecting means for automatically operating the control valves are wellknown tails of such apparatus. -Any suitablermeans for accomplishingthis purpose may be employed, as desired. I

Referring to Fig. 5, 40 represents a con- (luit throughwhich air iscaused to flow from any suitable source, either by a. pres- I therefore,the! spraying through the conduit may be trolled to suit predeterminedrequirements.

siire blower 4l dr by an exhauster, both of a which are commonexpedients in practice of .air conditioning apparatus as employed inbuildings. The air passing through the conduit 40 may be supplied-withmoisture by 70.

the humidifier indicated at C, theconstrucsimilar to. that previously Ie exception that, in this sure blower, then there should be. an inclinedbaflle'plate or board 43 extending partly over the open upper portion ofthe humidifier C to'prevent the air from blowing down into .thehumidifier. If the air circulating in the conduit/40 is induced by anexhauster in in the conduit. The circulation in this case air from 'thehumidifier into the conduit. In this particular case, I have shownmeansfor regulating the speed of the motor and,- disk under the control of ahumidistat substantially as in the case of Fig. 4, except that in' thisinstance, the diaphragm motor 44 operatesa circuitv controllerefi forchanging the speedof the elec-' tric motor. The humidistatis shown at 39and the pipes 35, 36 and 38 and choke device 37 for operatin thediaphragm motor I place of the pressure 'blower; then the baflie 43 maybe omitted, as in that v 1 case therev would be no interfering pressurewould assist the passage o f-the humidified" correspond also to tios'eshown in Fig. 4.

In this case, however, midistat in the conduit, but it is manifest that"it may be in the room or place Where the humidifierair is ultimatelyreceived. In

I have shown the hu- 0 case of too much humidity, the humidistat mayclose the vent pipe 38 and build up ,a

' pressure on the diaphragm motor to increase the resistance inthe motorcircuit for slow:

ing down the motorfan'd'thereby reducing the amount of aqueous vaporproduced by the humidifier is reduc d to too great an extent thehumidistat relie es the airpressure and the speed of the motor isincreased, thereby producing more moisture-in the air. the humiditycondition of the air passing reasonably con- If the amount of moisture.115-

In this manner N oclaim is ma de in the present application for theplurality ofhumidifiers operating from the commonsource of watersupautomatic controlling ply with or without means for controlling thesupply ofwater the conduit to mix with the circulating air therein, moreparticularly, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, as the same will form subjectmatter of a separate application.

It will now be apparent that-I havedevised a novel and usefulconstruction which embodies the features ofsadvantage enumerated asdesirable, and while I have in the present instance shown and describedthe preferred embodiment thereof which has been found in practice togive satisfactory and reliable results. it is to be understood that I donot restrict myself to the details, as the same are suspectible ofmodification in various particulars without departing from the spirit orscope of the invention.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desireto'secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A humidifier comprisiiig an annular casing forming a water reservoirand'having in the lower part of the space within the annular reservoiran open annular WOIkiDg tank having a vertical central air passagethrough it and in communication with the water space of the annularreservoir by a normally open water and air passage means whose uppermostedge determines the water I i level in the working tank, combined with a-wherein f urther, the motor rotatable annular disk of general conicalshape-whose central portion is submerged in the water of the workingtank and whose upper portion extends above the level of the water insaid tank'and is provided witha plurality of radial passages for suckinga current of air through the central air passage in the annular workingtank and proand provides with the wall an annular air passage for theair blown by the rotating disk structure for guiding it upwardly intothe atmosphere.

; 3. The invention according to claim 1,

, wherein further, the motor is surrounded detac with a protectingcasing which fits down into the space within the annular reservoir butarranged at a higher level than the baffling means and passage for theair from the rotating disk structure whereby it is guided upward y intothe atmosphere, the motor and protecting casin rovided with supportinmeans for a ivly positioning them wit n the central space of the annularreservoir and whereby said parts together with the disk structure may beremovable as a unit.

4. The invention according to claim 1, wherein further, means. areprovided for raising or lowering the upper edge of the water and airpassa e between the annular reservoir and annu ar working tank forgoverning the water level in the working tank.

5. The inyention according to claim 1, wherein further, the amiularworking tank is formed with a central Vertical opening bounded by acircular upwardly extending flange, and the annular disk has its generalsurface directed obliquely u ward so that the water film flows by centrigal action in a continuous upward direction.

6. A humidifier, comprising an annular casing fermin a normally closedwater reservoir andniaving in the lower part of the space within theannular reservoir an open angiular working tank having a verticalcentral air passage through it and supplied with water from the annularwater reservoir means communicating between the bottom oi the waterreservoir and the working tank for permitting the flow of water from thereservoir to the tank, and means controlled by the level of the water inthe working tank for controlling the passage of air from above the levelof the water in the tank into the airspace above the water in thereservoir for controlling the flow of water from the reservoir to theworking tank, combined with a rotatable disk of general conical sha ewhose central portion is tubular and en merged in the water of theworking tank' and encircling the vertical central air passage thereinand whose upper portion extends above. the level of the water in saidthrown into contact therewith by the revolv-,

ing disk for vaporizing the same. v

7. The invention according to claim 6, wherein further, means areprovided for adjusting the mean s for controllin the level of the waterin the working tan for controlling the'passage of air from above thelevel of the water in the tank into the air space abovethe water in thereservoir, and thereby regulating the level of the water in rovidinganannular air fthe working tank. I

. 8. A humidifier comprising an annular working tank for water providinga vertical central air passage through its bottom,

combined with a rotatable annular disk structure whose central portionsurrounds.

disk, means for supplyinglt the central air assage through the bottom ofthe tank and in Contact with the water therein and whose under surfaceis more or less conical and with its upper portion of largest diameterdirected outward and upward, said disk being provided on its uppercentral portion with radial blades and air passages directed toward theperimeter of the disk, an electric motor to rotate the disk, and acircular row of bafiles for vaporizing the water arranged around theperimeter of the disk. A 9. A. humidifier comprisin an annular workingtank for water providing a Vertical central air passage through itsbottom, combined with a rotatable annular disk structure whose centralportion surrounds the" central air passage through the bottom of thetank and in contact with the water therein and whose under surface ismore-or less conical and with its'upper portion of largest diameterdirected outward and up ward, said disk being provided on its uppercentral portion with radial blades and air passages directed toward theperimeter of the disk, an electric motor to rotate the disk,

a circular row of baflles for vaporizing the a water arranged around theperimeltler of th]:

e wor mg tan with water, and adjusta e devices for adjusting the levelof the water to be normally maintained in the tank to vary the extent towhich the disk is submerged.

10. A humidifier comprising a water tank, combined with a rotatable diskhaving a vertical axis and an opening adjacent thereto and through whichair may pass upwardly and a centrally depending annular portion aboutthe axis of rotation for causing water to be supplied from the tank tothe disk and over which it flows as a film,

said disk also having'a plurality of air p'as- 1 sages arranged in amore or'less radial d1- the disk and bafiie means and discharging thevapor into the room.

In testimony of which invention, I hereunto set my hand.

WILLIAM G. R. BRAEMER.

